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Bed rest for hip lower back shingles?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Ouchgrouch
Ouchgrouch

Hi everyone, this forum has been very helpful during a long two weeks!

I'm a 31 year old woman now on day 14 with very painful shingles. I'm on my last couple of days of acyclovir which seems to have settled the rash and some of the pain from an extreme level at the start.

The shingles are on my lower back extending to hip down thigh and the pain is extreme shooting and stabbing all along that nerve, it seems to have started from the groin lymph node and the pain is worst right there. With painkillers (ibuprofen/paracetamol with some tramadol) I was getting to the point where I could walk around a bit the last couple of days. But yesterday I had to sleep the whole day and take more painkillers as punishment for going for a walk uphill. Since it is in a nerve that really affects walking should I rest in bed more? I can't do this for a month without going nuts but at the same time I'm frightened of it not getting better since I seem to have a bad case! Has anyone else ever had it affect a lymph node so badly, also has anyone else had experience with it affecting walking?

2 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 Ouchgrouch

    Posted

    Hi Ouchgrouch!

    I am so sorry for your suffering. It is common that people have swollen lymph nodes as you are fighting a viral infection. It sounds as if the Herpes Zoster-Shingles has affected your sciatic nerve, which would make sense considering the location of your rash. The pain you describe sounds like classic sciatica.

    The best action is to rest, limit walking until the inflammation subsides. You may wish to ask your physician for Prednisone to reduce the inflammation in your particular case.

    Others on this site have complained of sciatica type of pain when Herpes Zoster-Shingles affected their low back.

    I am a Nurse Practitioner in the US and have had Herpes Zoster-Shingles every three to five weeks in my right ear and twice in my right eye for the past twenty years.

    Please let me know how I can help you.

    Best regards

    Merry Juliana

    • pattitracy
      pattitracy Merry19451

      Posted

      Hi Merry, again thanks for all your helpful information!! I have been getting severe pain on my lower right side ..comes and goes..is this normal or could this be something else going on....I am dealing with a outbreak now...one goes away another appears..probable have 8 pimple like sores.with the white puss in the middle...The shingles are on my lower back just above my toosh and on my toosh.on the right side..Thanks again for all your useful info!!
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 pattitracy

      Posted

      Hi Pattitracy,

      I couldn't find your original post, but I know you don't tolerate Valcyclovir well😝 .

      How often do you have Herpes Zoster-Shingles?

      How old are you?

      I know you live in the UK..And your Physician won't explore using Famciclovir, which I tolerate better.

      How often do you have Herpes Zoster-Shingles? And for how many years?😓. I know it is way too much! Are you immunocompromised?

      Where specifically is the pain? Lower right side by the front pelvic region? On literally the side of your body?

      Is the pain lancinating, burning? I know how severe and excruciating it is...Does it hurt to have clothes brush against the area?

      The rash you describe sounds like Shingles, but seeing it in person by a medical professional is the only way to properly diagnose it.

      How many days have you been on Valcyclovir? Are you on3x daily?

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 pattitracy

      Posted

      Dear Pattitracy,

      Part 2

      I had to send Part 1 or lose it... Depending on the number of days you have been on Valcyclovir, your Physician may wish to extend the number of days as it seems like you are experiencing a further breakout.

      Have you Googled the Lysine Arginine diet regarding Herpes Zoster-Shingles? Some people experiencing recurrent Herpes Zoster-Shingles have less painful episodes and less frequent episodes when they follow a diet high in Lysine and low in Arginine. I know I do. I don't bother with the supplement of Lysine as there are inherent adverse reactions, heart, liver, kidney with it.

      Also, there is a new vaccine Shingrex by Glaxo-Smith-Kline that was submitted for approval to the FDA in October of 2016 and the UKs sister agency in November of 2016. Shingrex is 93-97% efficacious compared to the old Zostavax, which was 53-37% efficacious. I do not know the data for people with recurrent Herpes Zoster-Shingles, but I feel it is worth a try.

      I look forward to hearing from you.

      Best regards.

      Merry Juliana

    • pattitracy
      pattitracy Merry19451

      Posted

      HI Merry..thanks again for the info. How would I know if I am immunocompromised? .I live in the united states.It does not hurt when my clothes brush against them....I have had shingles off and on for over a year now...always on my right side..as I  said on my tush and my lower back.at least 3 times a months  and now having the pelvic pain.in the front..that comes and goes..sometimes hard to walk the pain is so intense.in my pelvic area..but have no shingles in the front ..just the back....It seems as though they just keep coming  ....one goes away another few come.The shingles start out as a red sore .like a pimple ..then if forms a head any pusey...them scabs  over and  than turns purpler .I am 54 years old...I dont get the shooting pains ..I did when I first got them..but more itching but not unbearable. and the tiredness and feeleing  lathargic....As I said the dr watned me to take  valacyclovir 1mg for  the rest of my life....they make me sick to my stomach and dizzy..so I have not been taking them..when I first had the shingles..I took prednizone and this anti-viral..and that was over a year ago...I stopped going to the dr...as I said in one of my post..it seems as though I keep getting so many different answers from the medical field..Again, thank you so much for your responses....So tired of feeling crappy!! 
    • Ouchgrouch
      Ouchgrouch Merry19451

      Posted

      Thankyou for your advice and for all the support you give on this forum smile wishing you good health and happiness xx

    • pattitracy
      pattitracy

      Posted

      Hi Merry, I was also wondering..if this could be something else other than shingles...thanks again!
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 pattitracy

      Posted

      Pattitracy,

      .Do you have vesicle-blisters in the front by your pelvis? Are you having burning lancinating pain or itching sensation there?

      My suggestion is to find a Neurologist who you trust to sort out these answers. Take pictures of the lesions now and keep a journal of your? symptoms. As I cannot examine you and treat you, I can only advise you to find a Physician whom you trust.

      If you Google dermatomes, you will see that Zoster forms a semicircle around the body, probably right in the area of your vesicle-blisters.

      "Zoster" means belt in Latin. With your accompanying symptoms, it certainly seems like Herpes Zoster-Shingles. Yes, it gets old. Frankly, Acyclovir and Valcyclovir did nothing for me. Famciclovir actually helped me regarding reducing the duration of the episode and intensity of pain.

      The key is finding another physician who you can trust, who listens to the history, your concerns, performs an excellent physical exam, and treats appropriately.

      Merry Juliana

    • pattitracy
      pattitracy Merry19451

      Posted

      Hi Merry, thanks again for the info..no I do not have any on my pelvic area..just on my backside..and no itcing or burning...just a sharp pain..that comes and goes.thanks again!
    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 pattitracy

      Posted

      Pattitracy,,

      If it is a sharp pain, like a stabbing pain, not the sciatica you have been experiencing, and it is only there for a minute or so, it is probably not the Herpes Zoster-Shingles. You still need to get it checked out. It could be any number of things...

      Merry Juliana

  • Goodwater_Betty
    Goodwater_Betty Ouchgrouch

    Posted

    Mine wasn't in that area but I expect that anything you do to put pressure on it will aggravate it, causing more pain.  As you've already discovered, it's a disease that makes you pay when you "misbehave." I wonder if using a wheelchair for mobility would be better than trying to walk.  People who haven't experienced this have no clue how intense and debilitating the pain can be.  Take it as easy as you can.

  • amyj1973
    amyj1973 Ouchgrouch

    Posted

    I agree...no one who hasn't had it seems to understand how PAINFUL it is.  I got it 18months ago....right after I had my third baby and even holding her was painful.  It was funny because when they did the post-partum depression questionnaire, I'm like - of course I'm depressed!  But it's situational more than anything.

    Sorry for you sad

    I ended up having to have two rounds of antibiotics because the nerve pain was so awful.  I've heard the same thing about the lymph nodes because it's viral.

    Know that it WILL eventually get better...it just feels like forever.

  • Ouchgrouch
    Ouchgrouch

    Posted

    Thanks for the advice everyone, wishing you all a speedy recovery! I really feel for people having recurring episodes of this horror, shingles really is a turd sandwich!

    All the best xx

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